GS Paper III
News Excerpt:
In a major boost to global efforts to monitor and mitigate climate change, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is collaborating with the French Space Agency (CNES) on an ambitious new satellite mission called Trishna.
More about the mission:
- Slated for launch in 2025, Trishna (Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-Resolution Natural Resource Assessment) will be a game-changer in using space-based thermal infrared imaging.
- It is focused on studying the impacts of climate change and supporting sustainable management of precious natural resources like water.
Mission Objectives and Capabilities
- Detailed monitoring of the energy and water budgets of the continental biosphere and quantification of terrestrial water stress and water use.
- High-resolution observations of water quality and dynamics in coastal and inland waters.
- Assessment of urban heat islands and detection of thermal anomalies linked to volcanic activity and geothermal resources.
- Monitoring of snow-melt runoff and glacier dynamics.
- Collection of data on aerosol optical depth, atmospheric water vapour, and cloud cover.
TRISHNA Payload: Primarily it will be equipped with two Payload:
- Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) payload provided by CNES:
- Four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor capable of high-resolution surface temperature and emissivity mapping.
- Visible - Near Infra-Red - Short Wave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) payload provided by ISRO include Seven spectral bands for detailed mapping of surface reflectance.
Operational details:
- It will be launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit at 761 km altitude.
- It has an operational life of five years.
Scientific and Societal Benefits:
- Improved agricultural water management:
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- Assessment of irrigation water use, and issuance of advisories for water savings.
- Enhancement of crop water productivity through efficient practices and better micro-watershed management.
- Climate monitoring:
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- Tracking droughts, monitoring permafrost changes and measuring evapotranspiration rates.
- Urban planning support:
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- Detailed maps of urban heat islands and alerts for mitigating heatwave effects.
- Water quality monitoring:
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- Detection of pollution in coastal and inland water bodies.
- Identification of submarine groundwater discharge at coastal fringes.
- Energy and disaster response:
- Detection of sub-surface fires.
- Assessment of geothermal resources.
- Cryosphere monitoring:
- Understanding snow cover and snow-melt patterns.
- Contribution to improved hydrological models and water management strategies.
Global Contributions
- Support for global initiatives like the Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) program, the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Water Watch.
- Outputs serve as Essential Agricultural Variables (EAVs) and Essential Climate Variables (ECVs).
Significance of mission in providing sustainable solutions:
- Significant advancement in remote sensing technology.
- Addressing critical water and food security issues.
- Providing essential data for sustainable solutions.
- Enhancing understanding of Earth's natural processes.
- Supporting global efforts in climate change mitigation.
- Empowering policymakers, watershed managers, agro-industries, and farming communities.
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GEOGLAM
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